


Thirty-Nine Weeks

by kotabear24



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-28
Updated: 2012-10-28
Packaged: 2017-11-17 05:07:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/547941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kotabear24/pseuds/kotabear24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Harry gets pregnant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thirty-Nine Weeks

Everyone thought it was sweet.

The owner of their favorite restaurant, Paul, had by now gotten used to the call (made by Liam on (every) Wednesday) reserving a table for five for (every) Friday night at seven o’clock. The waiters and waitresses even had their dishes down to perfection, the chef cooking the food exactly the way they liked it.

Sometimes, it still shocked Niall - who was the newest in the relationship, having only moved into town just over two years ago - how _okay_ people were with their relationship. Everyone smiled at them - only a few people didn’t necessarily approve, but they kept their comments to themselves and were polite enough to the five boys. Some people didn’t really understand it, but the boys welcomed comments and questions, unashamed of who they were and how they lived. Harry was always the one to explain their relationship, though. The rest of them looked on with happiness and adoration as Harry’s slow drawl made its way into an explanation.

“Me and Liam were actually dating,” he would start off, “and we became friends with Louis. Louis and I got very close, and Liam here got jealous - of Louis or of me, I’m still not quite sure.” The listener(s) would laugh and Harry would grin. Louis would smile and duck his head, and Liam would wink. “Liam and I got into a fight over Louis, and it turned out, we both really liked him. So, being the problem-solver I am, I suggested a three-way, that we could figure it out and we’d all sort of…date. And, yes, it was amazing, and it worked. We didn’t favor one over the other, we loved each other equally and for different reasons that were equally important to the relationship. Then Zayn joined the soccer team,” Harry would smile at Zayn, and Zayn would look at his four boyfriends in his way - it was affectionate, but only the boys knew, because he was masked and reserved in public. “Louis, Liam and I were on the soccer team, and dear Zayn joined up. We didn’t even question it this time; we knew we wanted it and it just sort of happened over time. It was like an easy transition, and we love Zayn too much to let him go now, don’t we, boys?” The boys would smile, often Liam would lean in and kiss Zayn’s face, making the boy blush, and Harry would watch with a smile. “It was the four of us, and we knew something was missing - but we didn’t know what until our little Nialler moved to town. He was closeted, and afraid of the people’s reactions - can you imagine that?! - until he met us and realized we were a well-known and (mostly) well-liked four-way gay couple. It was Zayn, though, who approached us about Niall. Said there was something special. Well, then Niall joined the team, and we all got to see it and now here we are, the five of us boys madly in love and happy about it!”

The listener (s) would smile, coo at the love story, and walk away, leaving it at that, and Harry would feel like dirt for the lie.

The thing was, the relationship was mostly a cop-out. Of course, they all loved each other more than was probably healthy, but the relationship worked because it was easy, fun, passionate, and steamy. It was a fantastic balance, but they weren’t even done with school. They knew they couldn’t last this way forever, but they were determined to ride it out (no pun intended) and have as much fun as they could.

Louis mostly didn’t like the relationship. Don’t get him wrong, he loved Liam and Niall and Zayn. And yeah, they were great in bed. But for Louis, it was all Harry. Harry was the only reason he’d even agreed to that threesome - because how could Louis compete with Liam? And Zayn and Liam? And Niall and Zayn and Liam? Louis knew he’d lose. And Harry seemed to be so happy with the way things were, that Louis couldn’t even break his bubble and tell Harry how he felt about him. Louis was sure he was the only one of the five who felt this way - favoring one boy - and he often felt awful for not loving the other boys as much as they loved him, with the same raw, undulated fiery passion they held for each other.

 

Week 3: As sperm meets egg, fertilization occurs and your baby-to-be takes form: a bundle of cells.  
Week 4: The blastocyst that will be your baby splits to form your baby’s embryo and placenta, and the specialized parts of your baby’s body begin to develop.  
Week 5: Your baby’s heart and circulatory system are developing, and your hCG levels are high enough to show up on a home pregnancy test.  
Week 6: Your baby’s face is taking shape, which is something sweet to think about as you race to the bathroom to pee again.  
Week 7: Right now, the only thing growing faster than your baby’s brain might be your tingly, aching breasts.  
For the first Wednesday in two years, Paul got a call in the middle of the day from a tearful-sounding Harry, who asked that Paul not set them a table, because they wouldn’t be going there. Paul tried to ask what was wrong, if Harry was okay, but Harry just sobbed and hung up. Paul scratched his head with worry and wiped off Stypayhoralikson (the town’s endearment for the fivesome couple) from the reservation board with a frown.

Harry sat in the bathroom ( _again_ ) looking at his phone through teary eyes. He’d gotten off the phone with his doctor; the test had come back. It was positive. She reassured him that it had happened before, that men had gotten pregnant before, and that with the right medications and close surveillance, both Harry and the baby would be okay.

 _But how were the boys going to take this?_ And most importantly, _who was the father?_ Harry called Paul, trying to sound alright, and cancelled the reservation Liam had probably already made. Paul was concerned, which only made Harry sob alone in the bathroom. He needed comfort, soon. After he hung up on Paul, Harry sent out a text to the perfect person.

Louis was sat in his geography class when his phone went off.

_Bathroom in B Hall. NOW. Emergency. –H_

Louis didn’t even bother to text back. He raised his hand and got permission, walking out of his classroom with the bathroom pass in hand at an alarming speed. A few teachers looked at him oddly, but nobody stopped him - probably thought he had diarrhea, or something.

Harry jumped as the door burst open, but remained locked in the handicapped stall in case it was someone else.

“Harry?” He heard Louis whisper. Harry jumped up from the floor and threw the lock open, running into Louis’ arms, crying in earnest again. Louis immediately gripped Harry tightly, rubbing his hands over the sophomore’s back and walked him slowly back into the stall, lest someone else come in the bathroom and ask questions Harry didn’t feel like answering.

Harry let himself be guided, sinking to the floor when he hit the wall. Louis slid down and sat on the dirty floor with him, not caring that their uniforms were probably getting dirty from it. Louis grabbed Harry’s hand and rubbed the back of it with his thumb, not asking questions until Harry cleared his throat.

“What happened?” Louis asked, concern flooding his voice.

A silent tear slid down Harry’s cheek, and he replied, “I-I’m pregnant, Lou,” in a whisper.

Louis didn’t answer. What do you say when your boyfriend tells you he's pregnant? What _could_ you say? ‘I don’t believe you; you’re a boy’? Not something Harry seemed like he wanted to hear.

“Louis, I’m pregnant,” Harry repeated, turning his head to face Louis, who was staring dead at him.

This time, Louis nodded and reached to grab the phone from Harry’s other hand. Harry let him take it and watched as Louis typed out a message and sent it to the other boys.

_Come over to my house ASAP after school. We need to talk. –H._

Harry whimpered as Louis pressed send, but Louis swallowed and looked levelly at Harry. “We’ll get through this, babe. Okay? No - no, look at me.” Harry looked back up obediently, and Louis could see Harry was wild with panic, needing to be told what to do. “Go back to class. Answer no questions unless they’re about the work in class, and meet me at your locker when the bell rings. Got it?” Harry nodded, biting his lip as tears threatened to spill over again.

“Can I tell you something without you making fun of me?” He asked. Louis nodded. “I’ve - been taking pictures. Of my stomach, in the mirror. From the side. Like other pregnant people, so I can show my baby how I grew when it was growing inside me.” Tears spilled over and he bit his lip.

Louis sighed sadly for Harry’s heartache and pulled him closer. This time, Harry crawled into Louis’ lap - he needed the comfort and Louis was giving it. Louis let Harry sit in his lap for another half hour, crying quietly with his face planted on Louis’ chest.

*  
Just before the bell rang, a kid in his calculus class kicked him softly on the shin to get his attention. “Oi, Lou, what’s wrong with Harry?” he asked. Louis felt the blood drain from his face. “Heard he’s been in a right state all day.”

Louis swallowed loudly and nodded. “It’s a…family thing,” he excused. It wasn’t a lie. “We don’t want to talk about it.” (And that’s how they worked - the five of them decided as one if they wanted to talk to others about it or not, and they stuck to that - no exceptions.)

The boy nodded, his face a mask of polite sympathy. “My condolences,” he offered.

The bell rang and Louis tore out of the class before anything else happened, knowing Harry would already be waiting at the lockers, probably left class early just to be there like Louis had told him to. Louis caught sight of him from the opposite end of the hall. Harry was leaning against his locker, staring at the ground, looking defeated and terrified at the same time. As Louis neared the middle of the hall, he saw Harry brush a hand across his cheek, wiping away tears. Louis walked even faster, pushing people in earnest. He knew Harry wouldn’t want anyone to talk about seeing him cry; Louis needed to get Harry home.

“Harry, baby, Hazza, it’s alright, it’s alright, I’m here now,” Louis cooed at him, taking the sophomore’s face in his hands. “I’m here, okay? Wanna go home?” It was a stupid question, but that’s what Harry needed. If Harry was overwhelmed or overly upset, he liked not having to come up with plans, almost like he was too far in over his head to make his own decisions - but he _despised_ being told what to do. Louis had found the balance far before the other three had-asking easy questions that were kind of imperative, but gently so. Harry could answer no to them, but he never did. Harry nodded, as predicted, and Louis fit an arm around his waist and gently guided the boy to his car.

Liam, Niall, and Zayn, as juniors, were in mandatory SAT prep classes Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - and as it was Wednesday, Louis and Harry were by themselves for an hour after school (because Louis didn’t work Wednesdays or Sundays; he worked at a Christian store). Then, Zayn and Liam had work (Niall’s parents don’t let him work. They say he has a lifetime ahead of him to work, and he shouldn’t start now.), so it’d be Louis, Niall, and Harry.

Louis opened the door for Harry, using the key Harry got him (Harry’s parents let the boys come and go as they please; they like Harry having company and knew the other four are good boys) ages ago. He pulled Harry in and sat him on the couch as he went to make some tea. Harry liked his tea.

By the time the tea was ready, Harry was slowly coming out of the shocked silence. Louis sat on the couch next to Harry, passing over Harry’s tea. Just as Harry raised the mug to his lips, he hesitated, looking uncertainly at the tea.

“Harry?” Louis questioned.

Harry looked over to Louis, concern in his eyes. “Am I allowed to have tea? It’s not bad for the-the baby, is it?”

Louis let a soothing hand on Harry’s cheek calm the younger boy. “It’s caffeine-free,” he assured. He paused, but soldiered on, knowing Harry would need it anyway. “If you want, I could…I could get you an appointment with my mom. You know she’s a nurse, and she could recommend the right doctor for you, and she’ll be a great help during the whole pregnancy…” Louis trailed off as Harry’s eyes started watering, setting his mug down to hold the curly-haired parent-to-be tightly.

The two stayed that way for a while, mostly quiet but sometimes saying random things - they wouldn’t talk about anything important without the other boys - until Niall came ‘round, throwing the door open with a frenzied look.

“Everyone alright?” he asked worriedly. His anxiety visibly grew when neither boy answered him, but looked at each other quietly. “Everyone alright?” Niall asked again, and Harry sighed.

“Come sit, Nialler,” Harry invited, and the blonde instantly was at Harry’s side. Louis reached around Harry to card through Niall’s hair a few times, and Harry sighed again. “Nialler…I-I’m pregnant.” Harry and Louis looked warily at Niall, gauging his reaction.

Niall looked cagily at both of them, eyes flickering back and forth. His mouth quirked up gently, just in case it was a joke, but it twitched uncertainly when Louis and Harry didn’t burst out laughing, like they should.

“What?” he asked blankly.

“I’m pregnant,” Harry repeated. “I’ll explain the how’s and the why’s and all that once Liam and Zayn get off work, but. I’m pregnant. It’s true. I’m going to have a baby.”

Niall sat back on the couch, deflated, and didn’t say another word for the next three hours until seven o’clock, when Liam and Zayn ended their shift and arrived.

The door opened and Niall straightened up, instantly running over into Zayn’s arms - that was their relationship. Zayn was the kind of person who needed someone to protect, and Niall was the perfect candidate for it. Zayn instantly hugged him tight, worried frown deepening. He rubbed Niall’s back absently, looking in askance to Louis and Harry, who were quietly sitting on the couch, their bodies touching everywhere possible. Louis stared back evenly, and Zayn was almost shocked to see a hint of defiance and protectiveness over Harry. As Zayn, Niall, and Liam walked closer to the couch, Louis shifted a bit so that he was more surrounding Harry than sitting next to him. Again, Zayn didn’t understand and just looked in askance.

As the other three sat down, Harry patted Louis’ thigh and sat up with a big, long breath. “I’m pregnant.”

Zayn snickered and Liam huffed an irritated sigh. “This is what you worried us all day for?” he asked. “We were worried sick, Harry. I-"

“-But I’m-” Harry interjected.

“- _No_ , Harry, let me finish. This is ridiculous. You can’t just-”

“-I’m not-” Harry tried again, sounding tearful.

“-Listen to me! You can’t just go around and playing games-”

“-But Liam, if you would just listen-”

“-No, Harry, you listen. It was wrong of you to-”

“-Shut. _Up_ , Liam.”

Everyone went quiet as Louis stood up off the couch, looking down at Liam. It was a first. Louis never argued with the boys, always agreeing because it was easier and they usually could (probably) make better decisions than he would. But Harry was getting upset, and Louis didn’t like that. It wasn’t good for him _or_ the baby.

“I was with him right after he got the call,” Louis said angrily. “And you’d only have needed to see his face to know he was serious. Look at him, Liam! Does he look like he was messing about? Is it really so impossible that Harry could be pregnant? We all know he likes to bottom! We’ve all - we’ve all topped with him, numerous times, over the past few months. All of us. Is it really that far-fetched?”

Louis was breathing a little heavily with anger, but that was the only sound for a straight minute. Finally, Harry touched the back of Louis’ knee, and Louis sat down and pulled him in close. Neither said anything, but Louis knew Harry was grateful when curls hit the side of his face, Harry resting on his shoulder.

Zayn was still quiet, Niall was just as quiet, and Liam was battling on the line of shock that Louis had yelled at him and shock that Harry might actually be pregnant. “But - but you’re a boy,” he said a little stubbornly. “You’re a boy and boys don’t - they can’t - are you sure?” he huffed out.

Harry sighed sadly but nodded. “The doctor called me. Remember how I’ve been feeling off the past few weeks? I went to the doctor and…and that’s what it was.” Harry hesitated and Louis felt him shudder. “I’m so sorry, guys,” he started, his voice thick with tears. Louis carded fingers through his hair. At the sound of Harry crying, the other three boys moved off of their couch and onto the floor in front of Harry, reaching to touch him anywhere they could.

“No, listen,” Niall began, but then Liam cut in.

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, but it’s not your fault.”

“Yeah, we should have used protection or - or something,” Zayn put in.

Harry shook his head. “No,” he protested, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. “It’s nobody’s fault. How could we have known? Boys don’t get pregnant. Except - except I am, and I dunno whose it is, because - well, because we all…” he trailed off and folded his knees under his chin, wrapping his arms around his shin as he leaned against Louis.

The boys sat quietly to think what they should do. After a good, solid fifteen minutes, Liam spoke up. “This baby needs a normal life.” He looked around and the others all nodded, agreeing. “That means…that means we can’t all stay together. Because - because we’re not all normal.”

“Liam-” Niall began, but Liam cut him off.

“It’s not normal for five people to be a couple, Nialler,” Liam said gently, but firmly. “How would any of us feel if we suddenly had five parents? This baby doesn’t deserve to feel an outsider - at least I don’t think so.” He paused and nobody said anything. “When it’s safe, Harry can have a - a paternal test, or something. Whoever is the father gets to stay with Harry. The other three - the other three can do as they wish, I suppose.” He swallowed and leaned in to kiss Harry passionately.

They all agreed, at the end of the night, and with heavy hearts, they all cuddled together for the night, knowing that, either way, each of them would be losing two of their lovers. Harry would be losing three.

Week 8: As your baby starts moving in the womb, morning sickness (which doesn’t always just strike in the morning) may have you moving to the bathroom.  
Week 9: Your baby is busy building muscle, but all you may want to do these days is take a nice long nap.  
Week 10: On your baby’s to-do list this week: build bones and cartilage. On your agenda, increase your fiber intake to cope with pregnancy constipation.  
For the next few weeks, all five boys went to classes and carried on as normally as they could, and Louis helped Harry take pictures of his belly. It wasn’t changing much, maybe getting a little bloated-looking at the bottom, but it was important to Harry.

When Harry was ten weeks along, he went to the doctor for a prenatal paternity test. All four of the boys went with him, but only Louis was brave enough to sit with Harry the first time around. Eventually, the other three boys would need their blood taken, but Louis was brave enough to go first, and keep Harry calm. As protective as Liam and Zayn were, Zayn would faint at the sight of blood and Liam was still haunted by his childhood memories of needles and blood testing. Louis’ mom was a nurse, so he’d seen and underwent plenty.

He held Harry’s hand as the nurse smiled and thumped the IV cord. Harry squeezed tight when she inserted the needle in the crook of his elbow. The actual taking blood part was painless, and Harry relaxed until the nurse extracted the needle from Harry’s skin. Harry hissed and Louis brushed his curls from his face and put a hand over Harry’s belly, which wasn’t even moving at all.

When it was his turn, Louis rolled up his shorts (the veins in his arms were too small, but there was a major one in his leg his mom had always used easily) and the nurse inserted a clean needle. Harry squeezed Louis’ hand when the nurse took the needle out, but Louis didn’t mind, as he was so used to the sting and burn. Harry kissed his forehead and the nurse explained the rest of the procedure, and Harry went to the front reception desk to schedule the next three appointments (for Liam, Niall, and Zayn’s blood samples). The three boys crowded around Louis and Harry, looking at the bandages around Harry’s arm and Louis’ inner thigh. Louis explained it was painless and nothing to be afraid of at all, but Zayn and Liam looked unconvinced. Niall munched happily enough on his Doritos.

Week 11: That adorable little alien inside your tummy is starting to look human about now, as you start feeling a little more human, yourself.  
Niall’s appointment was next, because he was least afraid (after Louis, obviously). Louis didn’t go back, deciding that if Niall was the father, they should have at least that time to bond. He sat in Liam’s lap and held Zayn’s hand as they waited, closing his eyes at the comfort of Liam’s lips pressed to the back of his neck. He wasn’t in love with Liam or Zayn, but if Niall was the father of Harry’s child, he thought he could…maybe make things work, with the two of them.

As long as Niall was taking good enough care of Harry and their child.

 _Stupid_ , Louis scolded himself. Niall would do anything in his power to keep Harry and their baby safe and warm and healthy and perfectly fine.

It would be hard to give up Niall, of course, but he wasn’t in love with Niall. He was in love with Harry.

*  
“That’s what makes this so painful,” he told Lottie, later that night. “I’m so in love with Harry. And - and I love the other boys - I _do_ ,” he said indignantly when Lottie shook her head. “I love all of them! Just...”

“Just not the way you love Harry,” Lottie said knowingly.

Louis sighed. “Tell me again when you got so smart?”

Lottie hopped down from her bed. “I’ve always been smart; you’ve just never listened before. Listen, Lou. This probably won’t work out the way you want it to. Face it - you’ve got a one-in-four chance that you’re the one who’s knocked Harry up. And you have Tomlinson luck, which means you’ve really only got about a one-in-four- _million_ chance it’s yours. So instead of using this time to bond with the other boys, like you’ll have the rest of your life to, bond with Harry. Let him know how much you love him. Tell him. Show him. Do whatever it takes to let him know he’s secretly your favorite. That way, when it’s not yours, at least he’ll know, and if it is, you’ve got all that bond and you’ll be strong enough to make it and raise a kid.”

Lottie was right.

Week 12: While it may seem you’ve doubled in size over the past few weeks with pregnancy weight gain, it’s actually your baby who has!  
About ten days after Louis’ test, the results came back, straight into Harry’s mailbox. Harry called the four boys around to his house and sat down. After a lovely round of retching in the bathroom - he got his morning sickness at night - Harry opened the letter. He skimmed over it, only to throw it onto the couch when he couldn’t understand the stupid fancy wording. Louis and Zayn deciphered it - because Louis was the oldest with the highest education and because Zayn loved English and actually paid attention in that class - and went silent.

“What’s it say?” Harry asked impatiently. Louis and Zayn looked at each other and swallowed. “What’s it say?” Harry repeated, getting an annoyed look on his face.

Louis took a deep breath. “It’s mine,” he said quietly, looking at nobody but Harry.

Louis didn’t cry then, but everyone else did. (He cried later, and Lottie hugged him tight and even though she didn’t know what to say, she kept murmuring nonsensical things into his hair, like he always did with her when she was upset.) Zayn clung to Louis fiercely, and so did Niall, while Liam clung to Harry. Louis kissed them both until their lips felt raw, and then he watched Liam with Harry. They were both crying, and Louis knew it had to be killing both of them. They were the original couple, they were the first two. They’d been together for years, since they were little kids. Louis swallowed as he watched the way Niall cried openly, the way Zayn cried silently and brushed away his tears, the way Liam held Harry and cried as he kissed his forehead, arms holding him like iron bars. And Louis knew he’d loved them a lot more than he’d realized, all along. He’d loved all of them dearly.

Still, though, it was Harry.

Suddenly, Liam looked up at Louis and extracted himself from Harry. Niall and Zayn immediately fell into Harry’s arms, careful of his stomach area, and Liam gathered Louis up in a fierce embrace.

“I’ve always loved you,” he whispered, sounding broken. “I know we fight the most, but I’ve always loved you. Even when it was only Harry, even when you didn’t think you loved me.”

Louis didn’t know Liam had seen through it all, but he was suddenly glad someone knew. “I’ve loved you, too,” he said, voice sounding almost numb. “I’ll take care of him, Li. You know I will. I will.”

Liam nodded and pulled back, cupping his cheeks. “You’d better,” he said through tears. And then Liam kissed him like he’d never done. The kiss was charged, filled with pent-up love, frustration, and sadness and loss and grief. Louis kissed him back, feeling all the things he’d never realized he’d felt about Liam. He wrapped his arms around Liam’s neck and held him close, and when Liam broke the kiss, he turned to Niall and Zayn once more.

He beckoned them close and kissed each of them the same way, just so they knew. Niall cried into the kiss, pulling at his hair to keep him there longer, and Zayn held him tight, scrunching his eyes shut so he didn’t have to decipher the emotion Louis put into it. And then they left Harry’s house, all together. They left the house together and Harry moved into Louis’ lap.

“Are you okay with this?” Harry asked.

Louis nodded. “Of course I am, Harry,” he said, and Harry started crying again. “You aren’t, are you?” he asked, feeling miserable as Harry cried hot on his shoulder.

Harry squeaked in denial, and Louis held him tighter, not knowing whether or not to believe him. They fell asleep on the couch, Harry’s lanky body on top of Louis’, and didn’t wake up until Harry’s step-dad got home from work late that night. Harry sat up and woke Louis up as his step-dad loomed over them curiously, wondering where the rest of ‘the gang’ was.

“Dad,” Harry said with trembling words, “we need to talk. All of us.”

*  
“So…you’re pregnant. With Louis’ child? And…Liam, Zayn, and Niall are breaking up with you, so that you two can try and raise your…child…as normally as possible.” Anne finished and Robin held his head in his hands as he stared at the floor.

Harry nodded, squeezing Louis’ hand. “That’s right. There’s a nursery at our school for students with kids, or the siblings of students. If the baby’s born on schedule, I’ll be on summer holiday, so I’ll at least have a few months before I have to trust a stranger to take care of it. Over the break, Louis and I are going to get jobs with opposite shifts. We won’t get to see much of each other at all, but we can’t expect you guys to take care of our child.”

“And I’ve been saving money for a few years,” Louis said, realizing just how young seventeen actually was. “Just because I didn’t really have anything to spend money on. And my granddad left me an inheritance, which I can dip into when I absolutely need to. When I graduate, I can take night classes at uni and work night shifts, and hire someone to look after the baby so Harry can sleep at night, and I’ll watch it during the day so Harry can go to school and make the best grades he can get. We - we know it’ll be really hard. We know we’ll have no social lives and no…sex lives. We know we’ll fight all the time because we’ll both be tired and dealing with a screaming child. But I have a little experience - I helped my mom out a lot with the girls since my…since Mark left. And Harry’s great with babies naturally; Mom’s always said it’s even easier once it’s your own kid.”

Anne and Robin looked at each other and rubbed their faces. Anne sighed and looked at the two boys. “But what happens when you can’t make it work, Lou? I’m not saying you can’t, and I’m not saying no because that’s really not my decision. But what happens when you just can’t do it?”

Louis squeezed Harry’s hand. “We haven’t talked about it together, but…if we absolutely cannot do it…I personally think adoption would…be best.” Harry’s breathing hitched and Louis turned to him imploringly. “I do not want to give this baby up, Harry,” he said urgently. “I already love this kid and I don’t even know what the hell to do with it. But I don’t want to give it up. But…if we can’t feed it? If we can’t give it clothes? If we don’t have time or money? I have no problem sacrificing pride for welfare and food stamps, but even then, what if we can’t do it? I don’t want to give our baby up, nor do I plan on it. But if we can’t, then…it’s an option.”

Harry wiped the tears and stayed silent for a while before he finally nodded. They both turned to Anne and Robin, who were looking at them rather proudly, albeit tiredly.

“Well, then…I guess…that’s that,” Robin said. “My only son is pregnant at fifteen years old.”

Harry hung his head in shame and Louis snapped at Robin. “Don’t,” he said. “Don’t do that. Don’t shame your only son. He loves you and looks up to you and it’s not exactly his fault he didn’t know he could get pregnant from gay sex. You should be proud he’s not being selfish and aborting it.”

Robin looked at Louis calculating before he leaned over to Harry. “I didn’t mean it like that, son,” he whispered, with a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “But I’m sure glad this kid loves you enough to stand up to me.” He kissed Harry’s curls and then kissed Louis’ crazy bedhead before he kissed Anne’s cheek and bumbled off to bed.

Anne wiped her tears on her nightgown and leaned forward to hug both of them to her chest. “I love you, my boys,” she said. “And I’m so sorry you’ve lost the other three; I know you loved them. But at least you’ve got your favorites.” She kissed them both before went to bed.

Before they went to bed, Louis took his belly picture and kissed his forehead.

Week 13: As the first trimester of your pregnancy comes to a close, your baby’s roughly the size of a peach. Although you may not be feeling too peachy about your sex life right now.  
“Oh, my God, Louis just put it _in_!” Harry whined.

Louis lined up behind Harry and shallowly thrust in, staying relatively still while Harry moved and fucked himself on Louis’ cock.

“So - fucking - good - oh - my God - Lou,” Harry panted. Suddenly, he was coming, and tightening around Louis’ cock.

Louis bent over Harry’s body, already on hands and knees, and pulled out, coming hot on Harry’s back. Harry was on his side now, panting, but he waited until Louis wiped the come from his back and back before pulling him down to lie next to him.

“How long was that?” Harry panted out excitedly.

Louis glanced at the clock and frowned. “Well, the blowjob you gave me - amazing, by the way, thanks - was about sixteen minutes. The actual sex? …’Bout a minute and a half.”

Harry’s excited grin dropped from his face and he rolled onto his back. “Ugh!” he scoffed in disgust. “We’re not going to have sex regularly for the next eighteen years and I can’t even give you a twenty-minute shag!” he said grumpily.

“I came, too,” Louis pointed out comfortingly. He patted Harry’s hip before kissing him chastely. “Now, back to your homework. Maybe I’ll be ready to go again by the time you’re done with your maths.”

Harry groaned and picked up his book, where it was thrown to the floor.

*  
Louis missed the other three. And he knew Harry did, too. He wasn’t Liam, who knew Harry’s every single mannerism since they were toddlers. He wasn’t Niall, who looked to Harry as the epitome of perfection - even if he were before, he definitely wasn’t after Harry’s morning sickness, motion sickness, cravings, and ridiculous gas. He didn’t have Niall’s humor, or care-free attitude. And he wasn’t Zayn, who was reserved in public but a whole different person behind closed doors - affectionate and silly, and Louis definitely didn’t have any of the ‘cool’ bits that Zayn did, like smoking, or a million tattoos he wasn’t supposed to have yet. All Louis knew how to be was himself - goofy Louis, who tickled him softly and took his belly pictures and kissed all over his face and would do anything to be right for him - and even though Harry still smiled at him, and never called out anyone else’s name when he came, and was needy and clingy for him, sometimes Louis wondered if that was going to be enough for Harry, who’d already had everything for two years.

Week 14: It’s all about hair as your baby sprouts some on its head, eyebrows, and body. As for Mom, those first-trimester symptoms should be easing up a bit.  
“Finally! A morning without vomit for breakfast,” Harry said when Louis picked him up that morning. Louis smiled and cheered before kissing Harry on the lips.

“Did you eat any breakfast, then?” Louis asked as he started to drive.

Harry laughed. “Are you kidding?! I’m eating for two, now. I eat a whole buffet for breakfast!”

“Another protein shake then, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Harry grumbled. Louis laughed at him.

“Well, why don’t we look up some healthy breakfasts for second trimester moms when we get home?” Louis suggested.

“Or we could just ask my mom.”

Harry eyed Louis speculatively. “Is this your way of telling me you’re ready to tell your mom?” He asked curiously, running a hand over his barely-there bump.

Louis reached a hand over and grabbed Harry’s. Squeezing it, he smiled. “I’m ready. If you are, I mean. I - I want to tell my mom that you’re having my child.”

*  
“Harry, babe, it’s alright, she doesn’t hate you; she just-”

“She _hates_ me, Lou! You heard her!”

Louis sighed, rubbing Harry’s back. “She didn’t mean it, Haz. Come on, you know my mom! You know she’s just - she’s just scared, Harry.”

Harry cried into Louis’ passenger seat cover and let Louis console him for a full ten minutes before crawling into Louis’ lap.

Louis wrapped his arms around Harry and kissed his cheeks and his forehead and his nose. “Harry,” he said seriously between kisses, “my mom does _not_ hate you. She’s just…you know my mom. She’s…she’s the mama bear, is all.”

Harry fidgeted with the hem of his shirt.

“She doesn’t really think you’re ruining my life, Hazzaboo,” Louis said, exasperated. “She’s probably pissier about the fact that Anne knew before her and didn’t say anything. You know our moms.”

Harry nodded, sniffling pitifully. Louis kissed him full on the mouth, cupping his cheeks with both hands. When they broke apart, Louis rested his forehead on Harry’s. “You and our baby are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Haz.”

Harry’s smile was shaky, though. “Promise?” he asked quietly.

“Swear,” Louis answered, kissing him again. “Mom’ll come around.”

 

Week 15: You might not be feeling it, but your baby is kicking those little legs and flexing those elbows, while - higher up - you might be experiencing some dental weirdness.  
“Lou, could you give me more water?” Harry asked as he drained his cup - again.

“Already?” Louis asked, concerned.

“ _Yes_ , Louis, I’m thirsty and it’s gone already,” Harry snapped.

Louis grabbed Harry’s cup and stood still, in front of him until Harry sighed, putting down his pencil and rubbing his face.

“’M sorry,” he groaned. “I shouldn’t have snapped, I’m sorry, Louis. I’m just - I’m so _thirsty_ all the time.”

Louis frowned and texted his mom - who was currently only speaking to them about the baby - to ask if thirst was normal.

_Dry mouth, bad breath, nasty taste in mouth, shortness of breath. All normal._

Louis read out the list and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He popped another sugarless breath mint into his mouth and massaged his belly while taking a deep breath, stretching up. Louis shivered in disgust as he heard Harry’s back crack down the line, and he turned to fill Harry’s cup up.

When he returned, Harry was passed out with his history book propped against his knees, pencil still in his hand. Louis smiled and eased Harry’s things from him - he didn’t have History tomorrow, anyway - and pulled the covers up over him. Louis went back to his desk and finished typing his essay. When he was done, around 1 in the morning, Louis stripped down and crawled into bed, curving his body around Harry’s and laying a protective hand over Harry’s belly. He felt Harry’s gas moving around, but ignored it - he was used to it, by now - and he sang himself to sleep quietly. The gas eased up and Harry stopped moving around, as well, and Louis drifted off to sleep.

*  
When Harry left soccer practice, face scrunched up in tears, Louis didn’t hesitate to leave practice and follow him. Liam, Zayn, and Niall looked like they wanted to follow, but they didn’t. They all looked at each other sadly and stayed put, kicking soccer balls around as their coach screamed at Louis for walking off the field.

The next day, Louis asked to speak to the coach privately in his office, and he agreed. When Coach Cowell walked into his office and saw Harry sitting next to Louis, his face changed.

“What’s going on, here, Tommo?” he asked gruffly.

“Harry told me he’s quit the team,” Louis said, and Harry sniffed and watched his shoes.

“That’s right,” Coach said flatly. “Are you here to join him?”

Louis looked at Coach evenly before he shook his head. “No, sir, I’m not. I just wanted to - speak with you. It’s - very important, but sort of… _delicate_.”

“I already know you’re together, if that’s what this is about,” Coach said casually, and although Louis paused because _wow_ , he’d never thought Coach would’ve caught on, that wasn’t what he wanted to say.

“That’s - erm, that’s true…but not what I wanted to say.” Coach simply raised his eyebrows, and Louis soldiered on.

“I’ve…gotten Harry pregnant.”

Silence.

“It’s true; I’m not making it up. We have the doctor’s note to prove it,” he said, suddenly all business-like as he placed a piece of paper on Coach’s desk. "He’s about fifteen weeks along; that’s why he quit. Now, I’m not going to quit. Or, more like, I don’t want to quit. But…I’m the father of Harry’s child.” He paused then, not knowing exactly how to phrase his requests.

“So you’ll need certain privileges, if I’m to keep you on the team.”

“That sounds rather diva, doesn’t it?” Louis said sheepishly. When Coach’s smile softened, Louis was encouraged to continue. “Er, well. Right, anyway, you’re right. It’s not much, I swear. I just - I need to be allowed to have my phone on at practice. In case something goes wrong. Most days, Harry will probably watch practice, but - if something happens, I have to be there. I have to know. And - and we’ve decided to make all of Harry’s appointments after school, so he doesn’t miss any more school than he has to, should the baby come early. I fully intend to go to every appointment, for both support and my own knowledge of the well-being of my child and the maternal father of my child. So…I’ll need to be excused from those practices.”

Coach took off his glasses and kneaded his temples as he thought, and Louis and Harry sat silently. Harry’s hand found Louis’, and they held on to each other tight.

“Alright,” Coach finally said. “You can keep your phone on, but you will only answer if it’s related to the…child. Nobody else. No grocery lists, no love messages from your mom, nothing but Harry’s and your child. Are we clear?” They both nodded. “As for being excused from practice, you will be excused on the paper and roster, but you will run a mile for every practice you miss.” Louis nodded again. “You will _never_ again walk off my field without my permission like you did yesterday. Do I make myself understood?”

“Yes, sir,” Louis said, ecstatic that he wasn’t being kicked off the team. “Absolutely, sir.” They stood and turned to go, but when Louis had just left the office, Coach Cowell called him back.

“And I had better be invited to the baby shower!” Louis looked at him a little disbelievingly, but Coach just shrugged. “What? I love babies!” he said with a smile. Louis smiled back.

 

Week 16: Here’s an eye-opener for you: while you’re packing on the pounds, your baby’s eyesight (and eyelashes!) are developing rapidly.  
“Oh, my God, I’m so _fat_!” Harry yelled from all the way upstairs.

“You’re not fat, Harry,” Louis called out for what seemed like the fifth time that morning. Jay was already at work, and Louis was to help his sisters and Harry get ready for school. He was currently in the kitchen, pulling French toast sticks out of the oven and pouring six glasses of orange juice (thankfully, Harry could get his Vitamin C this way, rather than pills). “You’re pregnant. And stop looking through your pictures,” he added. Harry had a nasty habit of looking at the last sixteen pictures of his belly. “You’re _supposed_ to be rounding out a little bit, love.”

“But I sawed Harry’s tummy,” Daisy piped up. Louis made wild shushing gestures at her, but she carried on anyway - loudly. “His tummy’s getting puffy, like this.” She puffed her cheeks out unnecessarily and curved her arms out wide over her own tiny tummy.

“ _See_?” Harry whined over the balcony, having seen Daisy’s rendition of his tummy. “I’m getting fat, Lou. Nobody wants a fat guy!”

Louis sighed as Harry thumped down the stairs miserably. “I can’t button my pants, Lou,” Harry whined when he reached the kitchen.

Louis moved around behind Harry as the girls sat down at the table. He kissed the back of Harry’s neck and wrapped his arms around him. “Here, I’ll fix it,” Louis said quietly. He grabbed a hairband off his wrist (he had just finished with Phoebe’s hair) and looped it through the button hole of Harry’s jeans. Leaning over Harry’s shoulder to see, Louis tied both ends of the hairband and looped them around Harry’s button. The pants weren’t buttoned, but they were as close as they’d get. Louis kissed Harry’s cheek before he wrapped his arms around the younger boy, both hands on Harry’s slightly protruding tummy. “And it doesn’t matter whether other people want you or not,” he said lightly. “Because nobody but me gets to have you!”

Harry leaned back into Louis’ embrace and closed his eyes before nodding with a smile. “I love you, Lou,” he said.

Louis craned his neck to kiss Harry’s lips. “I love you, too,” he whispered. “Now,” he said cheerfully, “breakfast. You can eat French toast sticks right now, so that’s what we’re all eating. Yeah?”

The girls all nodded cheerfully, and as Harry sat down in his chair, Louis moved behind Daisy to braid her hair quickly.

“Well, if it’s a girl, at least I won’t have to figure out how to do her hair,” Harry said around his French toast stick.

Louis stuck his tongue out as Phoebe called enthusiastically, “Yeah! Lou’s gonna be a great daddy, ‘cause he knows what shampoos make good bubbles and what time cartoons come on and hair! Plus, Louis never leaves us. Right, Lou? That you never leave us?”

Louis’ hands froze in Daisy’s hair and he swallowed painfully. He continued on Daisy’s hair and he could feel Harry’s eyes on him, but he didn’t look up. Fliss and Lottie were silent; Fliss in sadness and Lottie in anger.

“That’s right, Phoebs,” Harry said gently. “Louis never leaves.”

When the girls were all safely dropped off in their respective schools, Harry held Louis in the school parking lot as he cried.

“Lou, I know you, baby,” Harry said, throat tight. “You’re not Mark. You’ll never leave us. I know it.”

Week 17: Your baby is sucking and swallowing, getting ready for the real thing - breast or a bottle! As for Mom, you might be warding off some unwanted belly touching.  
“And this?” Harry quizzed, running a hand around his skull.

“Erm, cranial cavity,” Louis answered.

“Good,” Harry smiled, and leaned forward for a kiss. He looked at the next card. “And what’s this one?” He said, running a hand around his baby bump.

“Adorable,” Louis said, and then he grimaced while Harry laughed. “Wow, that was cheesy. Erm, thoracic cavity.”

“And last one,” he said, twisting as much as his belly would let him to show Louis the hand that was running down his back. “This one?” He asked, a little short of breath.

“…Dorsal, right? Dorsal cavity?”

“Good job!” Harry beamed. “You’re gonna ace this test tomorrow.”

Louis smiled and leaned in for a kiss. “I hope so. Now,” he looked at the clock. “Oh! Now, it’s time for you to go to bed.”

Harry huffed. “Lou, I’m not even tired.”

“That’s a lie, and we both know it, and you need lots of sleep for yourself and for the baby. Tomorrow’s Friday, and then it’s winter holiday, and then you can stay up as late as you want. Swear.”

Harry huffed, but laid down on his side, anyway. Louis laid down with him and started singing directly to his tummy, so their baby would know his voice. Louis knew Harry liked his voice, thought it was pleasant, and Harry often drifted to sleep, too. For some reason, it calmed Harry’s gas.

But when Louis got up to leave, to drive back to his house for the night, Harry sleepily caught his wrist. “Don’t go, Lou,” he mumbled. “Sleep here, sleep with me. Please?” Louis nodded and laid down with him, curling around his back. Harry was getting taller, was almost taller than Louis, now, and Louis could tell he wouldn’t stop growing until he was considerably taller than him.

“Night, Hazza,” Louis whispered. Harry didn’t answer; already asleep.

*  
“Lou, how come you’re not never home anymore?” Daisy asked, frowning.

Louis gave a small smile. “'Not ever' or 'never', baby,” he corrected before answering. “And because Harry’s having a baby. And I’m the baby’s father. So I have to take care of Harry right now.”

Daisy frowned deeper. “And then, when the baby’s born, you won’t have to take care of Harry and you can come and play with us more?” She said, scrunching her eyebrows like she was trying to make sense of what she just said.

Louis laughed quietly. “No, Dais. When the baby’s born, I have to take care of Harry and the baby. But I can still come and play with you guys sometimes, too. Right?”

Daisy sighed. “But you’re only taking care of Harry and you’re never home. So when you take care of Harry and a baby, you’ll be gone a lot. You’re not gonna leave us, are you?”

Louis swallowed and hugged Daisy tight. “I will _never_ leave you girls. Alright? You guys are my sisters, and I will never leave you. It’s just…I have to do this. It’s my responsibility.” He kissed Daisy on her blonde little head. “I’ll never leave, but sometimes I have to go.” Daisy nodded sadly, and Louis wiped a hand down his face. “I’ll try and spend more time at home, alright?”

*  
“Lou, _absolutely_ , go,” Harry said with a smile, like he was crazy. “I can handle a few hours alone. I should probably spend more time with my parents. Gem’s coming home tonight, anyway.”

Louis hesitated. “Are you sure?” he pressed, feeling anxious. He and Harry had been together every day for the past nearly eight weeks, other than school and work.

“Lou,” Harry laughed. “Go spend time with your family. I mean it. _Go_.”

Louis swallowed and nodded, kissing Harry’s forehead. "I’m speed dial two, alright?” Harry nodded and Louis left Harry’s house, speeding along to his.

*  
Louis accidentally woke Harry up when he crawled into the younger boy’s bed. “Lou?” Harry asked in a sleepy daze.

“’S me, sorry,” he whispered immediately. And then, because he was too excited to care that it was nearly three in the morning, “I fixed things with my mom! I talked to her, and told her about our plans and everything, and she - believes me! She’s not mad at us anymore!”

Harry smiled sleepily. “That’s great, Lou,” he said, knowing how much it’d bothered Louis to have his mom upset with him. “I’m really glad.”

Louis nodded. “And she said we can switch weeks, so you can come to my house and we can stay there, too. So I can still see the girls and the girls can see us. Plus, it’ll make it easier for my mom to help out, since she’s a nurse, and all.”

Harry nodded and sighed happily. “It’d be nice to sleep in someone else’s bed.”

*  
Saturday was Louis’ eighteenth birthday, and his mom threw him a party (Louis suspected she timed her forgiveness perfectly so that the party was even better, but he didn’t say anything about it.) The party was pretty big, and a lot of people from school came - including Liam, Niall, and Zayn-and it was actually a lot of fun. As much as Louis wanted to get drunk, though, he didn’t, simply because Harry couldn’t. He vowed (mentally) to get drunk the first chance he got with Harry-when someone was watching the baby, obviously. He got tons of gifts, but mostly, he got money, which he was extremely grateful for-any bit of money helped, really. Harry cupped his face and kissed him passionately, in front of everyone, and Louis smiled and hugged him as tight as he could without feeling like he was squishing the baby.

*  
Christmas was a similar affair, and Harry and Louis spent the morning of it separately, giving themselves solely to their families. The girls were ecstatic to have Louis all to themselves for most of the morning, and so was Jay. For dinner, though, Harry and Louis’ family got together and had a massive dinner. Harry ate a ridiculous amount, but before he could get embarrassed about it (the twins really didn’t understand the concept of tact, quite), Louis ate the same amount. (That night, he regretted it.)

Week 18: You might start to feel your baby moving around anytime now, which is a great way to take your mind off your bothersome back.  
“ _Stop making fun of how I walk_ ,” Harry said through gritted teeth to his classmates as he waddled and rubbed at his back, waiting for Louis to come out of the locker room.

The boys continued poking fun at Harry until Zayn stepped up next to him. The boys stopped short and muttered apologies before turning and walking quickly away. Harry sighed and turned to smile at his ex-boyfriend. “Thanks,” he said shyly.

Zayn hugged him, but it was a little distorted - his belly had grown quite a bit by now.

“’S no problem,” Zayn said quietly. They stayed quiet for a bit before Zayn finally caved. “How are you, Harry?” He asked.

Harry smiled. “Good,” he said honestly. “I miss you guys a lot. And so does Louis. We talk about it pretty openly, but…Liam had it right,” he said, smiling towards Liam as he rubbed a hand over his belly. “This is what’s best for the baby - two parents, rather than five. Louis’ doing a really good job, taking care of us.”

Zayn nodded and swallowed. “I’m glad,” he said, and although Harry knew it was painful, he knew Zayn was being truthful. “Louis was the perfect one.”

“Yeah?” Harry asked, smiling as he tapped playfully at his tummy to his baby.

Zayn nodded, and laughed. “I wouldn’t have known what the hell to do - plus, I smoke. Liam would’ve driven you crazy, worrying every twenty seconds. Niall would be more emotional than you. Louis…he’s the right balance of sensible and crazy. In this case, at least.”

Harry nodded, and Zayn bent to give Harry a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t disappear on us, alright?” he asked. Harry nodded again. “We lost everyone, too.”

Harry’s eyebrows shot up. “You guys didn’t stay together?” he asked, frowning.

Zayn shook his head sadly. “No, we all decided…to try and see other people. Liam’s been meeting with this girl, Danielle. She’s really nice. Really pretty. I think she dances at his sister’s studio, or something. Niall’s been…well, he’s been drinking a lot, honestly, but he’s also been meeting up with an old friend - Sean, we met him before, do you remember? - and I think they’re sort of getting together.”

Harry waited, but Zayn didn’t continue. “And what about you?” He asked softly.

Zayn smiled as he grabbed a cigarette. He went to light it, but Harry plucked it from his mouth and snapped it in half before he could. He pointed at the baby and Zayn laughed. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I’m not seeing anyone. It was - I loved you guys, but…just like it was always you for Louis, and Louis for you?” Harry nodded, swallowing as he realized everyone had known it. “It was always Niall. For me.”

Harry nodded again. “It’ll - it’ll get easier, yeah?” he tried. He squeezed Zayn’s hand and then stepped back. “Well, I have to go. Louis’ll be waiting for me...”

“Right,” Zayn said, before he smiled. “Take care,” he added. Harry watched as Zayn walked to his car, in the soccer parking lot.

Harry smiled at the memories that flooded him and turned, walking into the locker room with a smile.

*  
“Did you know that Zayn and Liam and Niall didn’t stay together?” Harry asked Louis later that day, after they’d taken his belly picture.

Louis looked up from his chair to his bed, where Harry was now looking at him curiously. “No, I didn’t,” Louis said, a little surprised. “I’d thought they’d stayed together, the three of them.”

Harry nodded. “Yeah, but no - they all broke up. I saw Zayn today when I was waiting for you to finish your shower after soccer, and apparently Liam’s with a dancer girl, Niall’s with that guy, Sean, and Zayn’s pining for Niall.”

Louis frowned. “Well, I could’ve called Zayn’s from a mile away, but…Liam with a girl?” Harry laughed. “I guess I just never pinned Liam for bi. I always thought he was just gay.”

Harry laughed again before he gasped, hands on his tummy.

Louis jumped up as Harry laughed again. “What?! What is it?” He asked, panicking.

“No, no, Lou, come here, come here!” Harry said, flapping an arm in his direction. Louis bulleted over to Harry and put his hands where Harry directed him to, and he felt it-

Harry had gas.

“Harry,” he said flatly, “I know you have gas, babe. You’ve been farting on me left and right for weeks, now.”

“No,” Harry said, sighing. “That’s not gas! That’s our baby! Right - right…there! Do you feel it?” He asked excitedly.

Louis stayed quiet as his child thump, thumped underneath his fingers. He tapped his fingers against Harry’s belly and quietly said, “Hi, baby!” Thump. “It’s Dad; how are you?” Thump. He looked up at Harry, who had tears building up in his eyes. “Harry, that’s our baby!”

Harry nodded and Louis moved and kissed him passionately. He grabbed another pillow and pushed it down behind Harry’s back before propping himself up in front of Harry’s belly. He pushed Harry’s shirt up and kissed his belly all over before resting his hands on it and talking to his baby. He had homework, but it could wait.

Week 19: Your baby’s skin now has a protective coating, while you might be hoping for something to protect you from those painful leg cramps.  
“Lou, I am not wearing this shirt,” Harry grumbled as he held up a blue maternity shirt with lace at the bottom hem. “I am a _guy_.”

Louis sighed. “Harry, you need clothes that fit. It’s not like we can’t just cut the lace off. I’m doing my best, trying to find non-feminine maternity clothes for you. I did well enough on the pants, right?” He said, holding up a few hangers with elastic-waisted pants.

“Why can’t I just wear sweatpants?” Harry asked as he sorted through the clothes. The other customers of Wal-Mart were not very amused as he wailed like a child. Louis wasn’t, either.

“Harry, you can’t just look like a bum every day,” he snapped. “Because then you get self-conscious and then I have to make you feel better when it’s your fault you’re self-conscious anyway because you won’t just suck it up and wear jeans with hairbands keeping them closed or maternity clothes like a normal pregnant person.”

Harry stared at him, jaw clenching and tongue in his cheek as tears welled up. Louis sighed and brought him into a hug. “I’m sorry, Harry,” he said, swallowing his pride. “It’s just - _please_ , can we buy just two pairs of pants? We can buy regular guy T-shirts, or you can have Mark’s that my mom hasn’t thrown out yet since we can’t exactly splurge, but please just wear the damn pants. They look fine. Nobody will be able to tell.”

*  
As Louis rubbed Harry’s legs (they were getting seriously painful), Harry paused texting on his phone and looked up at Louis. “What about a baby shower?” he asked.

Louis kept rubbing up his calves, taking care around his knees. “Did you want one?” he asked calmly.

“Well,” Harry fidgeted. “I mean, we need stuff, and we don’t have a ton of money…” he trailed off. “And I’m happy we’re having a baby. I know you are, and our parents are, now. And I have tons of friends in my classes who know - I guess someone figured it out because of my belly and told everyone else - and they want me to have a shower…what do you think?”

Louis squirted lotion into his hand and rubbed up Harry’s other leg. “It’s up to you,” he said. “I don’t really mind, either way. But we could use the gifts, and I’d like for our baby to know how much it was loved even before he or she was born.” Harry nodded thoughtfully.

“I also think we should start talking about names.”

*  
New Years’ Day rolled around rather tamely. They were both asleep before midnight. Neither of them really cared.

Week 20: Boy or girl? You can find out this week!  
Louis skipped practice that Wednesday, and they went in to the doctor for their ultrasound. It wasn’t their first ultrasound, nor was it their first appointment, but they were both nervous - they could find out the sex of their baby!

“Now, if it’s a girl, you get to name her,” Harry finally decided. “But if it’s a boy, I get to name him.” Louis nodded faintly and took his hand as Harry’s name was called.

*  
“Mila Grace,” Louis said tearfully, squeezing Harry’s hand as they looked at the printed picture.

“Mila Grace,” Harry repeated in a whisper.

“It means she’s a blessing and a miracle,” Louis said, wiping his eye with his free hand. The nurse came back in and smiled at them both.

“The doctor says everything looks fine, Harry. You two are free to go, now.”

*  
“It’s a girl?!” Jay and Anne shrieked together. When Harry and Louis nodded, they both jumped up from the couch and screamed tearfully. They pulled Harry into the hug, and Louis noticed Robin on the couch, head in his hands.

“Robin?” he asked quietly. “Are you alright?”

Robin nodded and finally looked up at Louis; he was crying. “I’m going to have a granddaughter,” he said, voice thick.

Louis smiled and nodded, and he yanked Louis into a hug. “Ohhhhh this is probably the weirdest thing I’ll ever say, but thank you for knocking my son up,” he said in Louis’ ear.

Louis laughed loudly and hugged Robin back.

Harry grabbed Louis’ hand and pulled him into a hug of his own, and Louis bent down and kissed over Harry’s tummy - he kissed his daughter.

“Now we just have to tell our sisters,” he grinned up at Harry.

*  
By the end of the week, Louis and Harry had a date picked for the baby shower - in about ten weeks, when Harry was around thirty weeks along. It gave their friends and family plenty of time to shop and plan, and Harry and Louis sent out what felt like fifty billion cards (Louis typed them up, printed them, stuffed them into envelopes, and sent them; as he watched Louis’ soccer practices, Harry addressed them (as he had better handwriting) and put the stamps on them).

Week 21: Your baby is grazing on whatever you are, now, but those stretch marks are yours alone, Mom!  
“Hey, Lots,” Louis poked his head into his sister’s room as he tapped on the door. Lottie lifted her head up in acknowledgement. “How do you get stretch marks to go away?” he asked.

“Stop gaining weight,” she said without batting an eyelash.

Louis sighed. “You know I’m not asking that for myself, Lottie,” he said snappishly.

Lottie grinned. “I know, but…anything to make your life just that little bit harder,” she said sweetly.

Louis huffed and then laughed. “Right, because preparing for a child at eighteen is easy,” he grumbled.

“Hey, don’t look to me for sympathy. _You_ knocked him up.”

Louis just gaped. “Where did you hear that expression?!”

*  
“Mom, what do I do for stretch marks?” Louis asked.

Jay turned around with a grin. “Stop gaining weight,” she said cheekily.

Louis growled in frustration.

*  
Google Search

_How can I reduce stretch marks??_

Seen on Tyra Banks’ Show  
Mederma for Stretch Marks  
Best Stretch Mark Creams

*  
“I seriously just put goop on my stretch marks and they go away?” Harry asked curiously, staring at the bottle in Louis’ hands.

Louis sighed as he pushed Harry down on the bed. “No, they won’t _go away_ , but it’ll reduce the brightness, and stuff,” he said patiently, squirting some in his hand. “Plus, this’ll make your tummy look nice and shiny for your belly pictures,” he added cheerfully.

Harry worried his bottom lip and said nothing as Louis applied the lotion, humming as he tapped gently, playing with their baby.

Week 22: These days, the only thing growing more rapidly than your baby’s senses may be its mommy’s feet!  
Louis sighed as he put his pencil down and moved to his bed. He picked up Harry’s right foot and pressed his thumb into the balls of it.

“Oh.” Harry groaned, and Louis snorted. “What?” the younger boy demanded, then.

“Nothing,” Louis said. “It’s just…those sounds you’re making-” he emphasized with another press to Harry’s foot, resulting in an ecstatic moan- “kind of sound like your sex sounds.”

Harry laughed and Louis continued rubbing his foot, and then Louis noticed Harry biting his lip.

“What is it, love?” he questioned, concerned.

Harry whined and glanced at his own crotch, and - _oh_.

“You - you’re getting off to this now?” Louis asked, working hard to keep his voice level. He’d already learned that Harry did not like being laughed at. But Harry blushed anyway and nodded, and Louis stopped rubbing his foot for long enough to take down his athletic shorts and boxer briefs and free Harry’s cock.

He grabbed Harry’s foot and started massaging again, and took Harry’s cock into his mouth at the same time.

Harry let out a loud moan that could have probably been heard in China and Louis kept from laughing around his cock - barely. He bobbed awkwardly, bent over as he was, and pressed into Harry’s feet with his thumbs, trying to get the timing of each rub and bob down. He didn’t quite manage it, but it wasn’t long before Harry’s hands were pushing Louis’ head down further on his cock and coming down Louis’ throat. Louis took it like a champ, swallowing Harry’s come with no difficulty, and pulled Harry’s boxers and shorts back up with one hand as he switched feet like nothing had happened.

Harry looked down at Louis, panting, and managed, “I love you,” before he let his head hit the pillow again.

*  
“Have you two registered for baby shower gifts yet?” Anne asked the boys over dinner at her house.

Harry was too busy stuffing his face, but Louis answered for them - a confused, “What?”

Anne sighed. “I guess not,” she laughed. “You need to go to stores and register. You get a little scanner thing and get to scan things you want. Don’t be afraid to scan pricey things; you know Little Girl has plenty of people to love and spend for her.” (Louis refused to tell anyone else the name for their child; only that they were having a girl.) “You need to be sure and do that soon, since it’s not really that long ‘til the shower,” she said imperiously.

Louis nodded. “Alright, then,” he said. “We’ll go next weekend. Yeah, H?” Harry nodded through mouthfuls.

Week 23: Baby is getting (a little) plumper, but Mommy may notice something completely different when she looks in the mirror: the linea nigra.  
“I never thought I would ever be this fat,” Harry said monotonously as he looked at his week 23 belly picture. Louis switched the camera off and kissed him thoroughly.

“Don’t worry about what you look like,” he said. “You’re beautiful, and you’re carrying our daughter, and she’s beautiful, too. Nothing about you will ever be ugly or unattractive.” As if on cue, he smelled something foul. He looked at Harry, who shrugged sheepishly. “Nothing about you will ever be ugly or unattractive,” Louis repeated, and then edited, “ _except_ your farts.”

*  
It was Harry’s birthday on Friday, but due to his less-than-thin appearance, Harry demanded no one else other than family be allowed at his birthday party.

Harry’s real father sent a card with cash, which Harry immediately handed over to Louis (who was the unofficially appointed financial minder of the two). Harry’s mom and Robin bought Harry a car - a blacked out Range Rover, although Robin forbade Harry from driving it until a month after the baby was born (“for everyone’s safety,” he joked. Except he was serious). Gemma got Harry a little pink onesie (complete with a black-and-white tutu and lacey socks) that said, “My daddies love me!” and a massive picture frame that held forty-five pictures. Jay got Harry loads of manly maternity clothes and a community-sized bottle of Mederma, and the Louis’ sisters all pooled together and got Harry a collage of pictures of Harry and Louis through the past few years.

Louis gave Harry a little mechanical foot-spa (so Harry could get foot rubs whenever he wanted, and they would always be good), a bottle of cocoa butter lotion (it was supposed to give his skin more elasticity), coconut shampoo and conditioner (it was Harry’s favorite smell), and later, in private, a simple silver picture frame. On the front, engraved was Happy Little Family; on the back was written ' _For Harry, the wonderful father of my child. I love you, and I love Mila. –Lou._ '

Harry cried when he saw the picture frame and had nearly suffocated Harry with kisses. Louis was just glad to have gotten something right.

*  
Saturday, Harry and Louis got up early and spent the day registering and scanning different things. They got in a few little spats, but they were easily dealt with, as they both scanned what they wanted and decided to leave the choice up to whoever bought them. They both initially agreed to only scan things they needed, but soon enough they were scanning pink tutus and booties and denim-looking diapers and pink-and-brown cowgirl boots just because.

Week 24: Your baby’s facial features are really filling out…and your belly button may be really popping out!  
“Louis!”

Louis dropped the plate he was cleaning and darted up the stairs at Harry’s scream. _Not yet_ , he prayed, _the baby’s not ready yet…_

Harry was standing in front of the mirror, eyes wide when Louis burst through his bedroom door. “What is it?” Louis asked, panting.

Harry turned and squeaked, pointing to his bellybutton - which was now an outie; not an innie. Louis felt a hot wave of anger lick through him before he reminded himself that Harry wasn’t used to seeing pregnant bellies, that his mom wasn’t a nurse, like Louis’. Once he’d squashed the urge to throttle Harry, he closed his eyes and smiled as relief coursed through his stomach and chest. When he opened his eyes, Harry was no longer alarmed (no doubt calmed by Louis’ apparent relief), but was still wide-eyed and confused.

“It’s alright, Harry,” Louis said, starting to grin as he moved to his boyfriend. "It’s just Mila; she’s getting bigger and pushing it out. It’ll go back in once Mila’s out.” He kissed Harry’s forehead, still reeling from the adrenaline rush he was having.

Harry wrapped his arms around Louis and his breathing quickened as he resisted the urge to cry.

Louis pulled back and stared at Harry. “What? Why are you crying?” he asked.

Harry looked away from Louis, at the wall. “Thought something was wrong,” he mumbled tearfully.

Louis sighed and brought him closer, rocking him gently and petting through his curls. “I did, too,” he admitted, swallowing at the thought. “At first, when you screamed. …I was so scared.” Harry nodded into Louis’ neck, letting a small sob escape before Louis shushed him soothingly. “We’re going to be fine, Harry. We still have plenty of time. Mila’s going to be fine, and so are you, and so am I.”

Harry’s hands flexed over Louis’ back and he murmured, “I love her more than I ever thought I would, Lou.”

Louis smiled. “Me, too,” he said. “Me, too.”

Week 25: As baby prepares to take its first breath, hemorrhoids may make you want to swear under yours.  
“Do you know how un-glamorous this is?” Harry grumbled. Louis winced in sympathy as Harry flinched on the toilet. He sat on the counter with the door open, playing with his fingers. “Lou,” Harry finally snapped, “you don’t have to be in here.”

Louis bridled and prepared to snap back at him until Harry winced again. The indignation drained out of him and he nodded. “Alright,” he said simply. He hopped off the counter and left, looking back at Harry, who looked deflated now that Louis didn’t fight back. “Do you want me to get you some, like…cream, or something?” he asked.

Harry nodded and Louis brought Harry his phone. He pocketed his own phone and told Harry he’d be right back.

 _Well, this is the most awkward load I’ve ever bought_ , Louis thought to himself as he placed the basket on the conveyor belt. Sugar-free gum, batteries (for the foot-spa), batteries (for his vibrator), four different kinds of hemorrhoid treatment creams, cleansing cloths, and caffeine-free tea. The cashier, a junior from his school, sniggered as he scanned Louis’ things.

Harry was moaning in pain as he sat on his hands and knees on the floor. Louis tried to be as gentle as he could, but the directions on the bottle were clear. With the wet sanitary towel, he gently cleaned around Harry’s butt, blowing on it to dry. He squeezed the cream onto his finger and rubbed a liberal amount, slowly thinking how sad it was that this was the closest he’d come to sex in about a month. 

Louis gently pulled Harry’s briefs up, placing a kiss in a dimple of his back. Harry sighed in relief as the cream instantly worked its magic, and Louis helped him back up off the ground.

Week 26: Major excitement - your baby opens its eyes! On the flip side, you might want yours to stay closed so you can get some sleep.  
Louis was walking down the hall in his school. His test was any minute now, and he just knew he was going to ace it. He entered his classroom and sat down, taking out his pencil. His teacher handed him the test, and he-

“Lou.”

Louis startled awake and looked over to Harry sitting against the headboard, looking tired and miserable. “What is it?” Louis asked, exhausted. “I have a big test tomorrow, babe,” he said, trying not to be rude but tired of being woken up at nights.

“Yeah, well, even if I _did_ have a test, I wouldn’t be getting any sleep. I _never_ do, because your daughter won’t be still,” Harry snapped.

Louis didn’t let Harry see him roll his eyes; he sighed and scooted down towards Harry’s tummy. “Did you try singing to her?” he asked, knowing the answer already and feeling his heart burst with pride.

“Yeah,” Harry muttered reluctantly. “Only likes your voice,” he added, and Louis definitely heard the bitterness.

“Nonsense,” Louis said, even though he knew it was mildly true. “Mila,” he said quietly to Harry’s tummy as he put a hand on it. It still amazed him that all those weeks, he thought he was calming Harry’s gas when he was calming their daughter. “Sweetie, me and Daddy need you to go to sleep, alright? Dad has a big test tomorrow, and Daddy is very tired.” Thump.

_“No, no,” Harry tried, and Louis had to cough to disguise his laughter went Mila went crazy, kicking and dancing as she heard Harry._

__

“Maybe she really likes your voice and is excited to hear it,” Louis suggested. Harry looked less miserable at the thought that his daughter didn’t hate him and his voice, and Louis was glad he’d said it. “Mila,” he said, returning his attention to Harry’s tummy, “this is Dad. We need you to get still, alright? Want us to sing you a song?” There was nothing for a while, and then Mila threw either a fit or a party in Harry’s tummy again.

“Sing with me, Haz,” Louis suggested. They sang three full songs before Mila calmed down, and Louis noticed Harry was singing himself to sleep, too. Louis pressed a kiss to Harry’s temple and then to his belly as he whispered goodnights to the two most important people in his life.

It became a regular thing - Mila wouldn’t go to sleep unless they sang to her, and soon neither could Harry.

Week 27: Your baby moves on to a whole new growth chart this week, while your ankles and feet may need a growth chart of their own!  
Coach Cowell yelled at Louis for not paying attention again, but Louis ignored it. Harry wasn’t at practice. Harry was supposed to be at practice, and he wasn’t there.

“Excuse me, Coach,” Louis interrupted, looking at Coach imploringly.

The coach sighed and nodded. “Make it quick, Tomlinson,” he said tersely.

Louis sprinted to his phone and dialed Harry’s number. Harry picked up on the sixth ring.

“Hello?” he whispered.

“Harry, where are you?” Louis demanded.

Harry made shushing sounds. “I’m in the back of detention. I’ll be out in ten minutes. I texted you about it,” he added.

Louis stopped short and glanced at his phone. Sure enough, he’d missed the text. “What’d you get in trouble for?” He asked, bewildered. Harry was a model student. Harry hesitated, though. “Harry, what happened?” Louis repeated.

“I’ll tell you after practice. I’ll be there soon. Love you!” And the line went off.

Louis looked at his phone in frustration and made sure the volume was all the way up, and ran back onto the field.

“Everything alright?” Liam asked Louis as the passed the ball.

Louis nodded. “Detention,” Louis said. When Liam opened his mouth, Louis supplied, “I don’t know yet.”

Louis glanced up to the stands and saw Harry, waddling along to his favorite seat. Louis smiled to himself and focused on practice once again.

“So, what was it?” Louis asked Harry once he was out of the locker room.

Harry blushed. “I - brought the foot-spa to school and started it up in my science class. And I told my teacher it was an experiment.”

Louis blinked twice before he burst out laughing. Harry laughed with him before complaining, “It’s not my fault! My feet hurt and my ankles do, too!”

Louis, still chuckling, pressed a kiss to Harry’s mouth before he opened the door to his car and helped Harry in.

Harry had opted to stay home during Louis’ practice on Saturday. Games were coming up soon, and Coach Cowell wanted the team to look perfect, so practice started at seven a.m. Harry said that was not a time he believed in on Saturdays, and Louis kissed him before he left for practice, pointing out Harry’s cell phone on the bedside table as he left.

“Hey,” Louis heard from behind him. He turned and saw Niall, scuffing his feet on the grass. Louis smiled.

“Hey, Nialler,” he said, opening his arms for a hug. Niall looked delighted and nearly jumped into his embrace. “How are you?” Louis asked. “Harry said you and Zayn and Liam all broke up?”

Niall’s happy face fell, and he nodded. “Yeah…we all thought it’d be easier. For us and for you and Harry. We didn’t want you guys feeling left out, or somethin’.”

Louis nodded. “So…who are you seeing? Sean?” It was alright to ask about that, right? Louis would never leave Harry for anyone - not even Niall or Liam or Zayn; he was just asking.

Niall smiled, though, and shook his head. “Nah, not anymore. We did, for a while. Date, I mean. But he’s all the way back home, and the distance and all…just not my thing. I like cuddles, you know.” Louis smiled and Niall continued. “I’m - I’m seeing this guy…Josh? Josh Devine. He’s in your grade,” Niall added, looking a little hesitant.

Louis smiled, though. Josh was a good guy. “Yeah, I know Josh. Nice guy. Good drummer, I’ve heard.” Niall’s face lit up and he nodded. “So what about Zayn and Liam?” Louis asked.

“Liam’s been with a dancer from Nicola’s studio. Danielle is her name. She’s a few years older, but she seems really nice. The three of us still hang out, about once a week at least. …I’ve seen Zayn chatting with a girl called Perrie, in our year, but I don’t know if they’re together or not. We don’t…talk about that. Not me and Zayn, at least.” Niall frowned. Louis stepped up and hugged him gently. “How’s Harry?” Niall asked, finally.

“He’s good. His ankles hurt, but that’s normal. …Did you get the invitation to the shower? It’s in, like, a month, or something. We sent them out a few weeks ago, but Anne’s been put in charge of all the R.S.V.P.’s, so neither of us actually know the guest list.”

Niall laughed and was about to reply when Coach Cowell showed up and blared the whistle.

“Niall’s with Josh Devine, now,” Louis gossiped when he got home and Harry joined him in the shower (they had no-slip bath matts in the tub, now). Harry scrubbed Louis’ back with the loofah as he hummed in surprise, still not completely awake. “And Zayn’s been chatting with a girl named Perrie - she’s a junior, apparently - and Liam’s made it official with that dancer, Danielle.”

“And you’re with me,” Harry added as he pressed a kiss to the back of Louis’ neck.

Louis shivered and turned around, looking up - when did Harry get that much taller than him? - to kiss Harry deeply. “I am,” he replied into Harry’s mouth. “And I’ve never been happier.”

After the shower, Louis set up Harry’s foot-spa again.

Week 28: Your baby has started blinking and dreaming while you may be dreaming that the pain in your derriere will disappear!  
“My. Ass. Hurts. So. Much,” Harry complained.

Louis made a sympathetic noise and put down his book to push Harry over on his side.

“What are you-” Harry started to ask, and then Louis started kneading at his butt.

“Any better?” Louis asked hopefully, and stopped when Harry shook his head regretfully.

“Sorry,” they both said, and smiled.

Harry shifted back into a sitting position, sitting up against his wall. “It’s just - I can’t stand for too long, because my feet and ankles and legs hurt. But I can’t sit very long, because then my butt hurts. And I certainly can’t lay down because Mila does _not_ like me laying down.”

“Well, not too much longer, love,” Louis soothed. “I could bring you one of those butt-pillow things after I get home from work tomorrow, if you want,” he offered.

Harry sighed and nodded. “You’re seriously the best boyfriend ever,” he moaned. Louis glowed under the compliment.

Week 29: Your baby’s packing on the pounds, which looks so cute on it. If only you could say the same for your varicose veins…  
“No, those are-”

“Those are not normal on _sixteen-year-old boys_!” Harry hissed hysterically at Louis in the school bathroom. Harry had gone for a pee and saw weird, ugly, veins running up and down hit fat and swollen ankles and calves. He called Louis in immediately.

_“No, but they’re normal for thirty-weeks-pregnant people. You’re that, too, Harry.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Listen, babe, I realize you’re freaking out about your body changing, but unless you’re in pain or have fallen or something bad has actually happened, you’ve _got_ to stop calling me out of class. You have two more years in high school; I have a few more months. I have to keep my GPA up if I’m getting a scholarship, alright?”_

__

Harry looked down at the ground, avoiding eye contact as he nodded.

“Harry.”

Louis ducked down to get into Harry’s line of vision when the younger boy ignored him. Harry’s lip was quivering. “Babe, I didn’t mean to upset you,” he apologized. “It’s just - I’m not a good student, not like you. I don’t just get straight A’s, like you. I have to really work at it, and missing a class every week for something new on your pregnant body isn’t helping.” Harry nodded, but Louis still felt like dirt. “Hey,” he said, tilting Harry’s chin up a bit. “You know if there’s anything serious to your health or Mila’s that I’ll come running, no matter what, right?” Harry nodded, but Louis wasn’t convinced. “I’d come running if you called me during an interview with the President offering me a job as his personal assistant,” he said. “I’d come if The Script were just passing me the contract to work with them. I’d come if you called while my mother was on her deathbed, Harry.”

Harry looked up, biting his lip. “Really?” he asked, amazed.

Louis laughed and nodded, pulling him in for a hug. “Just don’t tell her I said that,” he mentioned as an afterthought.

Week 30: Your baby’s brain is getting smarter by the minute, but for Mom, the only thing that smarts may be that heartburn pain.  
Harry and Louis were practically buried in Louis’ room, which was filled with all the things they’d gotten from their friends and family at the shower.

“I can’t believe how many things people bought for us,” Harry whispered in awe, looking around.

“For us and Mila,” Louis corrected, and Harry smiled.

“Hey…what should her last name be?” Harry asked, suddenly.

Louis blinked. “I’d just assumed it would be Styles,” he admitted. Harry bit his lip, looking sensitive, and Louis rushed to add, “I’d be thrilled if you named her Tomlinson, of course. But I just assumed, since we’re not married, or anything.”

Harry nodded, and then hesitated. “Do…you think…do you think that maybe that’s, like…in our future?” He finally asked.

“What?” Louis asked. “Marriage?” Harry nodded. “Well, I was going to wait until you at least got out of high school to ask…but, _yeah_. I’d like to marry you, Haz. I’d like to be a proper family. But I don’t want to start too soon.” Harry nodded, pleased with the answer.

“So? What do you think?” Louis asked nervously.

“This is what you got for the baby shower?” Harry asked incredulously, looking around.

“Well - I didn’t buy it yet, in case you didn’t like it,” Louis said, fidgeting with his shirt. The real estate lady smirked at him.

“Lou,” Harry said, turning to look at his boyfriend with stars in his eyes. “I - I _love_ it! It’s perfect!” He walked into the bigger room and waved his hands around. “This can be our room…” he walked across the hall into a smaller room. “And this could be Mila’s room.” He walked down the hall, “Kitchen, obviously…living room…Louis, this is perfect for us.” He bit his lip. “But…can we afford it?” He asked nervously.

Louis smiled. “We can! Since we got all that stuff from the shower, we can afford it. Money’ll be a little tight, and we’ll have to stay with our parents for a little longer, ‘cause we can’t really afford to furnish it and still eat, but…yeah.” Louis smiled, chewing his lip and Harry clapped his hands excitedly.

“We have a _home_ , Lou!” He shouted happily.

“All you need to do is sign the papers,” the woman said, smiling for their happiness.

Week 31: As your baby’s senses increase, Mom’s breathing room decreases.  
Harry was positively huge now. He knocked things over in classes, he wasn’t allowed to participate in chemistry lessons, and people called him “the walking bus”. It hurt his feelings, but he didn’t let anyone but Louis see it.

Louis glanced at the stands where his boyfriend was screaming like crazy, cheering for his soccer team. He gestured at Harry to calm down, and Harry just scowled and flipped him off. Louis laughed and stole the ball from the Iowa Park mid-fielder, dribbling it down and shooting it for the winning goal of the first game of the season.

He was afraid Harry would try to run onto the field (like he would if he weren’t pregnant) and get hurt, but Harry stayed perfectly in his seat, hands clenching and unclenching in excitement. After being congratulated by everyone on his team, Louis ran up the steps of the stands and kissed Harry hard. Harry wrapped arms around him, and Louis picked him up, only to promptly set him down and carry on kissing his boyfriend on foot.

Harry was _heavy_ , now. Although Louis would never admit that out loud.

Week 32: Your baby is practicing some practical survival skills, like sucking and breathing, while your uterus is practicing some Braxton Hicks contractions.  
“Lou-” Louis’ heart stopped at Harry’s tone, as the younger boy’s hand gripped at his wrist.

“Lou, I’m-” Harry hissed and let out a short breath. “Lou, I think I’m in labor.”

Louis whipped out his phone and called his mom as he whirl-winded around Harry’s room, grabbing the bag they’d prepared a million times and whatever else they might need.

“Calm down, it’s Braxton Hicks,” Jay answered the phone.

“Braxton Hicks?” Louis repeated, remembering the term somewhat from the pregnancy/baby book he’d been (secretly) reading. “Fake contractions, or something?”

“No, they’re very real,” Jay answered, “but don’t worry. Harry isn’t due for another few weeks; he’s not ready to have the baby.”

“Well I know he’s not _ready_ ,” Louis huffed through the phone, “but he says they hurt-”

“Tell him to lay down-”

“He’s laying down.”

“Then tell him to walk around. Listen, if he has more than four this hour, if they get any longer or any more painful, call me and head in. But don’t freak out, because stress will make him think the worst.”

Harry sighed in relief. “Thank God your mom’s a nurse,” he said in reverence. Louis couldn’t have agreed more.

Week 33: Your baby’s immune system gets a boost, while its sleepy Mommy could use a boost of energy.  
Louis’ phone vibrated and he gritted his teeth. _I_ know _I’ve talked to him about this_ , he thought impatiently. As he opened his message under the desk, though, he blinked.

_Detention today, over @410. Fell asleep in Mr. Baughman’s class. :/_

Louis sent back sympathy and a promise to pick him up (he’d have to leave work, now, but whatever. His boss loved him) and bring something salty, as that was all Harry craved these days.

Then he opened a new message.

_Hey mom is it normal for H to be sleeping all the time? he just got detention for sleeping in history._

Louis focused on his calculus lesson for a few minutes before his mom texted back.

_Totally normal, but tell H instead of falling asleep ask 2 go 2 the bathroom n splash water on his face n belly. Itll wake them BOTH up lol.;) .x_

Louis laughed quietly and put his phone in his pocket.

“Hey,” Louis chirped as he kissed Harry. He opened the door and let Harry grip his arm as he sank into the seat.

"Hey,” Harry smiled back. Louis handed him a bag of pretzels (the salt and the fiber would benefit Harry) and started the car.

“So, Mom says whenever you feel like you’re about to fall asleep, go to the bathroom and put water on your face and on your belly. So you don’t get any more detentions…model student,” he teased.

Week 34: A boy baby’s testicles descend this week (whoopee!) but Mom should look out above and below as her vision becomes less sharp.  
“I couldn’t even drive if I weren’t pregnant,” Harry complained behind his blacked out sunglasses.

“If you weren’t pregnant, you wouldn’t have eyesight problems,” Louis laughed as he turned into the parking lot.

“Well, don’t think I didn’t see that lime green vibrator in your bag this morning,” Harry grumbled and Louis blanched.

“Well, you aren’t in the best shape right now to be thrusting in and out, babe,” Louis defended himself. “I give it to you well enough, don’t I?” he asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

Harry sighed. “Yes,” he admitted. “But don’t think for a _second_ that I like you using that instead of using me.”

Louis parked the car and leaned over to kiss Harry. “The minute you’re able, I’ll join your jockey team, alright?”

Harry flushed and he kissed Louis passionately, moaning in frustration when the warning bell rang. Louis broke the kiss and helped Harry out of the car, patting his butt playfully as they went their separate ways to class.

“What happened?!” Louis demanded as he burst into the nurse’s office. Once in the room, he saw Harry on the bench and cupped his face, kissing him all over. “Babe, what happened? Are you alright?”

Harry kissed his cheek and nodded, pushing him gently away and patting the bench next to him. As Louis sat down, Nurse Patty started talking.

“Harry here tripped over someone’s foot in class and took a little stumble. He hit his head, so he was immediately escorted here, where he demanded to be allowed to text you - not that I’d know anything about texting in school, because if I did I’d have to take phones away,” she said slyly.

Louis’ breathing hitched and he felt around Harry’s skull, apologizing quietly when Harry winced.

“Now, Papa Bear, he never even hit the ground. His teacher caught him. Baby girl is fine,” she assured him. “And so is he.”

Louis breathed a sigh of relief as he turned to his boyfriend. “You need glasses,” he croaked.

Week 35: A rapidly growing brain makes your baby’s head weigh more and that means more pressure on Mommy’s bladder.  
“These glasses make me look stu- Gotta pee.”

Harry heaved himself up from the chair where the sales associate was trying to cram glasses on his face and waddled to the bathroom. Louis excused himself and Harry and followed his boyfriend to the restroom.

“Alright in there?” Louis called through the door, only to hear Harry sighing happily as he relieved himself.

“All good,” Harry called back.

“…frame your face so nicely, Mr. Styles; you look quite…handsome.”

“He also looks quite pregnant and quite taken,” Louis cut in tersely. “He also looks quite _sixteen_.”

Harry looked at his lap to hide the grin as another sales associate blubbered her way into an apology. Louis noticed and smirked down at him, nudging his side in retribution.

“These are good,” yet another associate (a man, this time, Louis thankfully recognized with relief when they were approached in the new store) announced.

 _This_ time, Louis agreed. They were simple, black frames, square topped and the bottom was a bit more rounded. Pretty similar to Louis’ glasses, excepting the rounded bottom. “What do you think?” Louis asked Harry, who looked in the mirror.

Harry shrugged. “Can’t we just get a cheap, wire frame, or something?” he asked. “I mean, I’m only going to be wearing these for like…a month. My vision will go back to normal, right?”

Louis shook his head. “It’ll be about six months or so, love,” he smiled gently as he broke the news.

Harry huffed and looked in the mirror again. “These’ll do,” he said. Then his eyes widened. “Ooh - gotta pee.”

Louis bought the glasses while Harry relieved himself yet again.

Week 36: Your baby’s bones might be ready to rock and roll, but yours might be aching something awful right now.  
“Fuck you, Braxton Hicks,” Harry grumbled as he walked around at two in the morning on a Tuesday. “I have to be up for school in four hours and I have to walk around.”

Louis chuckled sleepily. “Haz, Braxton Hicks was the guy who first described the fake contractions. He didn’t cause them.”

Harry paused, and then resumed walking with a shrug. “Well, fuck him, anyway. My legs hurt, and I’m tired, and my jackass body is trying to convince me I’m going into labor four weeks early.”

Louis laughed but made a sympathetic noise, and Harry paused by his side of the bed. “Why are you awake, babe?” he asked. “I know you’re tired, too.”

“I’m exhausted,” Louis agreed through a yawn. “But she’s my baby, too. If you’re up, I’m up.”

Harry leaned down to kiss him.

When Louis looked up to the stands again, Harry wasn’t there. He called a time-out (which infuriated Coach) and searched frantically from his spot on the field. Just as he was about to seriously start panicking, Harry came up the stairs with a jumbo order of nachos, rubbing his back as he went. Louis laughed loudly in relief, catching the attention of Harry, who waved obliviously.

Week 37: Your doctor may check for labor signs, while your baby prepares for birth by sucking, turning, and breathing in the womb.  
“Any leaking?” Harry’s doctor, Dr. Yuen, asked.

Dr. Yuen was Jay’s most highly recommended doctor, but that was very little comfort to Harry at the moment.

“Where would I leak?” Harry deadpanned.

“From the anus,” Dr. Yuen answered smoothly. If it weren’t so close to Harry’s due date, Louis would’ve snickered just a little.

“Oh,” Harry answered, blinking. “Erm, well. No, I’m not…leaking.”

“Hip twinges?”

“Some.”

“When?”

“Just yesterday, and today. Kind of close to my back, feels like. Kind of dull thud-y pains.”

Dr. Yuen nodded as she scribbled furiously. “Contractions?”

“Just Braxton Hicks-ing,” Harry said. “You know - the fake ones?”

Dr. Yuen smiled and nodded. “Are they getting any more painful?” she asked.

Harry paused. “No, but they’re coming more often, sort of.” Dr. Yuen scribbled more. “Is that bad?” he asked warily.

Dr. Yuen smiled. “No, not bad. Baby girl just might be a little more ready to be born than we are.”

“She’s coming early?” Louis blurted, and Harry’s head whipped around to his in true terror. Louis masked his face into calm, and Harry calmed considerably as they intertwined their fingers together. Louis rubbed circles into Harry’s hand with his thumb.

“Maybe,” Dr. Yuen said. “You can keep going to school this week, and as long as your Braxton Hicks contractions don’t get any more serious, next week. But on week thirty-nine, you need to be in here. If labor doesn’t start naturally in the thirty-ninth week, we will break your water for you and have a C-section.”

“Is it really necessary to have him in the hospital for the entire week?” Louis asked, perhaps a little sharply. Harry looked up to him, worrying again.

“We think it would be best, given Harry’s age, weight, and…well, frankly, gender. Male pregnancy is no longer _rare_ , but it _is_ still less-charted territory than female pregnancies. We prefer to keep our maternal fathers close by, for nothing but safety’s sake.”

Louis nodded, taking a deep breath. “Am I allowed to stay with him?” he asked, mentally preparing to cause a scene if they said no.

“Of course!” Dr. Yuen enthused. “So wonderful to have enthusiastic parents, especially at your ages!” She nodded approvingly and turned to go.

Harry and Louis looked at each other.

“You’re missing an entire _week_ of practice?” Coach thundered, and Louis stood from the chair in his coach’s office.

“My child is more important, Coach.” He countered. “I understand that missing an entire week’s worth of practice automatically gets me benched for the next game. I do. But my child and Harry are more important.”

“Louis,” Coach said in forced calm. “Don’t you want to play soccer in college?”

“Yes,” Louis answered, “but not at the cost of missing my child’s birth! And - and I plan on being with Harry the rest of my life. Whether or not it works out that way, I’m definitely going to be tied to him for the rest of our lives. I need him to be able to trust me and depend on me, Coach.” Coach Cowell rubbed his temples again.

“Coach…what if she doesn’t make it?” Louis ventured, voicing the fear that had been playing over and over in his head for the past two days. “Or…what if Harry doesn’t make it? Do you think I could ever live with myself if I was running around a soccer field while my daughter died? Or Harry died, giving birth to my child? Forget living with myself; how could I ever look at my daughter? How could I do that to Harry?”

Coach Cowell sighed. “There are going to be scouts at the Bowie game in three weeks, Lou. So, by God, I’d better see you on the field running your ass off to make up for your missed week in advance.”

Week 38: Your baby is producing surfactant, which will help it take those first breaths, while you’re producing colostrum, the precursor to breast milk.  
“I have like…creamish-colored stuff coming out of my nipples.”

Louis opened his eyes. “Good morning to you, too,” he said groggily. Harry didn’t answer; just looked down his shirt again and back to Louis. “Which nipples?” Louis asked curiously.

“The main ones,” Harry responded, and checked his shirt again. “And the extra left one.”

“Hmmm,” Louis answered. He pulled out his phone.

_Mom. Leaking “creamish-colored stuff” from nipples. Normal or no?_

As Louis got ready (after a hearty kiss from Harry), his phone went off.

_For Harry, normal. For u, not so much. Good morning, btw! .x_

Louis laughed loudly and continued brushing his teeth. “It’s normal, Haz,” he called out through a mouthful of foam.

“It’s good to see your dedication,” Coach Cowell called out from center field. Louis just nodded and kept running.

“It’s good to see Harry’s dedication, as well.”

Louis looked up to the stands and saw his boyfriend in his usual seat. Harry smiled and cheered when he saw Louis looking at him and waved the cardboard sign he was holding up.

_Go Louis! We love you!_

Louis ran an extra mile.

Week 39: Your baby’s brain development is still in high gear, even as you begin to experience definite signs of labor.  
Louis woke Harry up with a slow blowjob, since they didn’t have a particular time to be at the hospital. Based on the reception Louis received, Harry appreciated the wake-up call.

Jay smiled as she watched Louis help Harry sink down into the wheel chair, even as the teenager grumbled about being treated like an invalid.  
She approached her son and his boyfriend with a clipboard, smiling. “Ready?” she asked. Both boys shook their heads no, but she noticed each of them hiding a smile.

Louis knocked on Mr. Baughman’s door softly before he poked his head in. “Remember me?” he asked. Mr. Baughman had been his teacher two years ago.

Mr. Baughman scoffed. “Like I could forget my most troublesome student,” he joked. He grabbed the bundle of work he’d gathered, and Louis opened up his bag to grab the folder he’d designated for Harry’s homework. He slid the pile in and tucked the folder away neatly, and Mr. Baughman clapped him on the back.

“Good luck, Tomlinson.”

Louis ducked his head. “Thanks,” he replied sincerely. “I feel like I’m going to need it.”

He turned and walked out of the room, onto Harry’s chemistry teacher’s class.

While Louis sat on the edge of Harry’s hospital bed with his calculus book open, Harry was reading his assigned English novel (Animal Farm, by George Orwell).

Harry made a noise of disgust. “This is horrible,” he whined. “Napoleon is such a douche.” Louis grimaced in agreement, and Harry continued. “The horse is my favorite.”

Louis paused, looking up in amusement. “Which one?” he asked.

Harry paused. “Wait…there’s more than one?”

Louis nodded. “Boxer’s the sweet one, kind of dumb, but he’s really loyal. Clover’s Boxer’s buddy, always taking care of him. And Mollie’s the self-centered one who leaves them early on. And then there’s the donkey. He’s a downer, but he’s like…really smart.”

Harry stared at Louis in amazement. “Lou…how do you remember that?”

Louis shrugged. “I liked it. It was a good book.”

Harry laughed manically. “Lou, it’s like an animal war! It totally sucks.”

“It’s about the Russian revolution, babe,” Louis said. “Just with animals.”

“…Oh.”

Harry was writing about the Russian revolution/Animal Farm as another assignment when suddenly, his hands flew out and gripped the metal bars.

“Harry?”

“Pick up the books,” he said in a strangled voice, cheeks flaming.

Louis did what Harry said and then moved to touch his face when he realized Harry was crying, head bent in shame.

“Harry, what’s wrong?” he said, wanting to cry at the sight.

Harry let go of the bar with one hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I - I think I’ve just - I think I’ve just shit myself,” he admitted with a shaky breath.

Louis covered his mouth at the relieved laugh that bubbled up, knowing that if he let it out, Harry would misconstrue it and get upset. “Here, come on, move up,” he said, gripping Harry around the chest.

With Louis’ help, Harry moved toward the other end of the bed, and sure enough, Louis was right.

"Your water’s broken, baby,” he soothed, kissing Harry’s face. “You haven’t-you didn’t shit yourself.”

They closed their eyes in comfort…and then their eyes snapped open and Louis pressed the nurse call button.

“Alright, you’re going to feel a pinch…” a different nurse (Jay wasn’t allowed to work on Harry, because she knew him personally) said as she pushed in the numbing. Harry took a deep breath and squeezed Louis’ hand.

They put up the covering so that Louis would stay up closer to Harry’s face, having to peek over it to see when the baby was born. Louis leaned over and kissed Harry as he ignored the smell of the cleaner.

“And…here…we….go,” Dr. Yuen said happily, and Louis gasped as he heard the sound of his daughter screaming. He peeked over the covering and gasped again. There his daughter was - bloody and disgusting and writhing, but still beautiful.

“What does she look like?!” Harry said, tugging on Louis’ hand. “What does she look like? Is she okay?”

Louis looked back with tears in his eyes. “She’s okay,” he said. “Harry…she’s beautiful.”

“W-where is she?” he asked, starting to panic again, but Louis soothed him.

“They clean her up before you see her,” he said, pushing Harry’s curls from his face. “Harry, we have a baby!”

Jay and Anne and Robin were the first three to come in and see her (“Mila Grace,” Jay had repeated through tears. “Such a perfect name.”), and then Gemma and Louis’ sisters. Liam, Niall, and Zayn dropped by, and they all kissed her and held her and kissed Harry’s and Louis’ foreheads. Over the next two days, students and teachers alike flowed through the room - even Coach Cowell visited, and he cooed at Mila and held her and rocked her back to sleep, telling her how precious and loved she was.

Week 40:  
Luckily, it was warm enough for Harry to bring Mila out, bundled up. Jay, Anne, and Robin took off work and brought the girls to come, and the twins helped Lottie hold the sign while Gemma and Fliss cheered wildly.

_Go Louis! We love you!_

Louis scored goal after goal, each time looking up at his family - his big one and his tiny one.

Five Years Later:  
“Lou, could you get the door?”

Louis put down the watermelon he was slicing up and walked down the hall. He passed the forty-five picture frame, filled with thirty-nine belly pictures, an individual picture of Louis, Harry, and Mila, and three family pictures, and as he straightened it, he smiled. He kept walking down the hall and answered the door. Niall, Zayn, Liam, and Danielle, holding little Ray, all smiled.

Louis smiled and pulled the door wider to let them come in.

Mila peeked around the corner, pulling at her dress, and Harry jogged into the room, planting a kiss on Louis’ cheek and swooping in to hold Danielle and Liam’s eighteen-month-old son.

They all sat around and chatted, and Mila read quietly in the corner, impatiently swiping her curls from her face, blue eyes rolling in annoyance when her hair simply fell back again. Finally, she stood to go get a headband from her room, and she put her book on the desk in the corner- right next to a simple, silver picture frame, holding the three of them, with Happy Little Family written on the front and a special message engraved on the back.

“Guys, we have an announcement,” Zayn said, grabbing Niall’s hand. They all fell silent until-

“We’re getting married!” Niall shouted, showing them the ring.

Louis had the perfect family.


End file.
